The Rise and Fall of Darth Vissimar
by The Celtic Rogue
Summary: Darth Vissimar narrates his life story, which chronicles his journey across all sides of the Force.
1. Chapter 1

This story takes place in the Star Wars Universe, which is owned by George Lucas. I do not own the characters Anakin, Luke, or Ben Skywalker, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jaina Solo, Mace Windu, or Corran Horn.

The Rise and Fall of Darth Vissimar

1

My name is Konrad Ssor. But most of the galaxy will remember me as Darth Vissimar. If you are reading this, then you have found my holocron. It has been many years, indeed, many decades since anyone has produced a holocron. But sometimes, I have found that the old ways are the best ways.

I have included much in this holocron. Blueprints for weapons and ships, documented teachings in the ways of the Force, and other information that will prove, at the very least, educational about the past. However, what you have accessed is the story of my life. I'm sure anyone in any Sith or Jedi locale could regale you with the tale, but neither side will tell you the truth. The Jedi will paint me as a traitor, and the Sith will have you believe I was one of the greatest heroes they had ever known. The truth is I was both, and neither, at the same time. It is true that I left the Jedi order and became a Sith Lord. But the reason for that transition was not simply to betray some of my dear friends. Besides, I was hardly a model Jedi to begin with.

It is also true that I did much for the Sith, but it wasn't because I enjoyed it. Indeed, to some degree, I blame the Force itself for the lack of happiness and contentment in my adult life. Perhaps it was out of revenge that I worked so relentlessly to master it.

But enough of my musing. On with the story. I was born in anonymity to the galaxy, just like untold billions of others. It is interesting to note that the vast majority of the galaxy assumed that I had a very troubled childhood, which led me to the dark side. Nothing could be further from the truth. There was never an instance of abuse or neglect in our family.

My father, Izi, owned a bar on Corellia, and my mother, Jayd, was a secretary for a trading company. We weren't necessarily rich, but we lived comfortably. We maintained that living standard even after my sisters, Meena and Ilana were born.

We lived a very happy and normal life until one day, I was attacked by a bully after we'd left school. He walked away with the few credits I'd had in my pocket, leaving me bleeding on the ground. Suddenly, he was lifted off his feet and slammed into a wall. The impact on his nervous system was such that even after he was released from the medical center, he could no longer move his arms.

After the incident had been ruled on in my favor by the proper people, there still remained the question of how exactly the boy had come to be injured. It was answered the next day.

People in long brown robes and a deep hood pulled my eldest sister, Meena, and me out of our classes and sat down with us and our parents. They explained that they were Jedi, and that they suspected I was force-sensitive and had subconsciously tapped in to my abilities. This, they said, would explain how the other boy had been flung fifty feet into a wall without me laying a hand on him. As a result of this theory, they had reason to believe that Meena was also potentially Jedi material. When my mother asked about Ilana, the Jedi replied that she was too young for her Force sensitivity to be deliberately certified. After a long discussion, my parents consented to let the Jedi take us to their academy on Corellia to gauge our abilities more accurately.

So, we said farewell to our parents for a short time to go with the Jedi in their transport to the Jedi Teaching Center. One of the Jedi insisted we begin the measuring of our abilities on the way there. She introduced herself as Fiara Thelosia before instructing us to try and levitate a small drinking vessel. I attempted it first. I sat and stared at the cup, thinking and willing it with all my might to rise up off the table. I was rewarded with it shuddering slightly. "That could have been the ship," said Fiara. "Try again." So I resumed staring intently at the cup, and just as Fiara began to give me some advice as to how to tap in to the Force, the cup flew up and smashed against the ceiling. "Well," she said. "It looks like we'll be placing an emphasis on teaching you to control your abilities."

Then Meena tried to move the cup. She spent the rest of our journey trying. "Why can't I do it?" she asked Fiara. Fiara looked at her, and for a moment, I saw a flash of sadness on her face. But she smiled and said "Usually, the older the person is, the better they are able to use the Force." I suspected then that Meena was not Jedi material.

Soon enough, we came to the Jedi Learning Center. We walked up the long flight of steps, through a grand, lavishly crafted arch and along a promenade lined on the inside with statues and busts of great Jedi. Fiara told us about each one. Finally, we came to the main entrance. On one side was a massive statue of Luke Skywalker, who had brought the Jedi back from the brink of extinction. Opposite it was an equally large statue of Master Corran Horn, the Jedi who had founded the Jedi Learning Center.

We continued our tour through the building for a while, going by the archive room, various classrooms which taught both Jedi and non-Jedi subjects, and the cafeteria. We eventually came to the Council Chambers. Though the Jedi Council wasn't based on Corellia, the teaching center contained a meeting room for use by council members should they happen to be there at the time of a meeting. It just so happened that on that particular day, a Quarren member of the council was on Corellia, and was taking a meeting with the other members via hologram. We waited patiently by the door until he came out. Fiara caught his attention, and explained our situation. He looked at us over the tentacles around his mouth for a few moments before motioning us to follow him.

He brought us to a room filled with various cutlery, cups, stones, and other small objects. "You," he said, looking at me. "I want you to levitate something. Anything in this room." I looked around for a bit before he suddenly placed a blindfold over my eyes. "Without looking at it," he added. I concentrated as I had on the way to the building, but I couldn't see anything to focus on, and the room was silent. I must have stood there for twenty minutes before I finally heard something clatter. I focused on the sound and concentrated harder. Soon, I heard something flying through the air. Almost immediately after that sound, I heard Fiara cry out, followed by a crackling hum and the sound of energy on solid matter. I yanked the blindfold off to see Fiara with her lightsaber drawn and ignited, and two halves of a metal knife, which both had one red hot, near-molten edge. By the looks of it, the knife had been headed straight for me. Fiara had just saved my life for the first time. It would not be the last.

The Quarren looked impressed, if a little startled. He was about to put the blindfold over Meena's eyes before Fiara whispered something to him. He set the blind fold aside, walked over to a shelf, picked up a small rock, and set it at Meena's feet. "Levitate it, child, if you can," he said. "Just concentrate on your goal, which is to bring this rock off the ground. Take your time." Meena stared at the rock for almost as long as I had stood blindfolded. Finally, she closed her eyes for a few moments, and the rock shakily floated up a few inches off the ground. "Meena," said Fiara. "You're doing it. Look!" Meena opened her eyes and smiled. The rock continued to rise, albeit a bit wobbly, until it was level with her eyes. "Good," said the Quarren. "Take them to be tested further." Faria nodded and motioned for us to follow her.

We walked through the corridors of the teaching center yet again. This time, we seemed to be in the infirmary. A young Gran Jedi came over and conversed with Fiara. He then went off to retrieve something. Fiara knelt down and explained that he would be taking blood samples from us, to measure our midichlorion levels. I didn't fully understand what midichlorions were at that time, even though she did her best to explain it to us. The Gran came back with the necessary equipment. and took the blood tests. When it was over, Fiara sat with us to wait for the results. She told us we were both brave enough to be Jedi. She was always so kind.

Eventually, the Gran Jedi came back and showed the results to Fiara. Her eyes narrowed as she read them. "You're sure this is correct?" she asked him. He nodded. "Very well, then," she replied. "Come with me, children." We followed her through the halls again. She led us to the Master's office, and we waited outside while she showed him the test results. After a few moments, they both came out and informed us that we were to be trained as Jedi.


	2. Chapter 2

2

I had no idea what Jedi training entailed. All I knew before Meena and I started at the school was that we would live there until our training was complete. It wasn't so bad. Since our family lived on-planet, we saw them in person every few months or so. I remember feeling slightly sad for the other children. Even though almost all of them communicated with their parents regularly via hologram, they were still missing personal contact. After all, you can't hug a hologram.

We learned much in our time at the Jedi Learning Center. Our courses included everything from History and Diplomacy to Fencing and Force Technique. I never could choose a favorite class. I had always been a curious child, and I grew to a curious young man. I always wanted to learn something new. Perhaps that was why I seemed to excel at all my courses. Meena was not the same way. She had to work at all her classes, whereas I never needed to until we were more advanced students. I must admit though, her work paid off. She was almost as good as I was. Almost. I felt sorry for her sometimes. She worked so hard, and yet she always fell just short of the levels of success I achieved. I felt so guilty that I, on occasion, threw a duel in fencing class or deliberately did a bit worse than her on an exam. It was usually enough to boost her confidence from time to time without losing any of my edge. Our training years passed without incident, and we were then to be assigned as Padawans to Jedi Knights. Due to Meena's exceptionally hard work and determination, she was ready to be assigned a master at the same time I was.

The Master assigned Meena to Fiara Thelosia almost immediately. I however, was not assigned so quickly. I remember the days that turned to weeks which in turn became months. They were all filled with waiting. Other Initiates became Padawans quite regularly during that time, and I couldn't figure out why I was being passed over. So, I waited. Day after day, I trained as I had before. No. That's not true. I trained harder. I trained harder than I had ever dreamed I could, because I had a feeling deep inside that I was not assigned because I wasn't good enough. As good as I was, I was convinced that I was still inadequate.

And so, for nearly a year, my days were filled by physical training and my evenings by more scholastic and spiritual practices. I took breaks only to engage in the most essential activities, such as eating. Except for once a week, when I would contact Meena and Fiara via hologram. They were both so happy, and Meena was doing so well as a Padawan. And yet still I remained at the school, my obvious talents going to waste. If I wasn't assigned within the month, I would be ineligible to ever become a Jedi Knight.

In truth, I was growing to think I didn't deserve to be one. After all, I broke the Jedi Code every day. Every day that passed without my assignment, some emotion took hold within me. Sometimes it was hate, other times it was fear. But most of the time it was envy. Meena was Fiara's Padawan. Meena, who had at first seemed destined not to be a Jedi. And to Fiara, of all Jedi. Fiara, whom I had befriended during our time at the school on Corellia. I admit that sometimes, I wondered whether Fiara had even tried to secure me as her apprentice. Sometimes I even thought I had done something to make her specifically ask that I not be her Padawan. But the weekly conversations would invariably quell those doubts. Especially the final one.

It was a week before I would be removed from the Order, and I communed with Fiara and Meena, as per usual. We made the usual small talk and updates before we came to an awkward silence. I don't remember how long it lasted, but I know it was only as long as it took for me to get the nerve to ask the question. "Fiara," I said at last. "Yes, Konrad?" she replied. "You said you're coming to Corellia in a couple of days, right?" I asked.

"Yes."

I looked at the floor, not sure if I should even suggest this before asking: "Will you take me as a secret apprentice?" "Konrad!" Meena gasped. "You know that's forbidden by the Order! Knights can only have one Padawan at a…" "Hush, Meena," Fiara interjected. She turned to face me. "Are you sure this is what you want, Konrad? You know there's nothing they can do to prevent you from training yourself." "I know," I answered. "But I want to train with you and Meena, Fiara. Besides, if I train myself, there's no guarantee I won't kill myself." Fiara allowed herself a small smile. "Alright, Konrad," she said. "Meet us at the bottom of the steps at midnight when we arrive." Meena looked at Fiara in alarm. "But, Fiara. What will they do when they find out he's gone?" "Child," Fiara said. "Do you know how many younglings like your brother run away rather than be sent where the Order wishes? The number might surprise you." She looked back at me. "We will see you in two days, Konrad." Then she ended the transmission. I immediately broke the Jedi Code again by feeling a rush of joy. I would be a Jedi after all! And then I returned to thinking about my new situation. No, I thought. I'd never really be a Jedi. Even if I returned, fully trained and had single-handedly destroyed the Sith, they would never accept me into the Order. And all because, even if they never knew I'd been trained in secret, I would have returned to be recognized as a washout. It was then that I began to truly question the Jedi way of thought. For all their vaunted power and enlightenment, they were nothing more than bureaucrats. For them, it wasn't about what you did, or how you distinguished yourself from the rest of the galaxy. It was about whether you met the deadline or not.

I spent the next two days as I had spent every day during the waiting. I trained. I did what I could to completely master any technique I could. I managed to defeat the top swordsman of the official student body in a lightsaber duel. Not that anyone cared. They all knew I was headed for shipyard or someplace similar. But to me, it affirmed that I had become as accomplished a swordsman as I could against younglings. I anticipated many practice duels with Meena. And I aimed to win them all. She had had her time in the spotlight. She had been a Padawan while I was not. She had her confidence by now. And if she didn't, it was hardly my problem.

The night I was to meet them, I packed what few belongings I had into a satchel, except for the lightsaber I had built. That I clipped to my belt. I hated that blade. It was just like everyone else's who had built one in that lightsaber class: a praetor style hilt with a single green crystal inside. I fully intended to keep it, but I also wanted to build a new one. One that was unique to me. Indeed, it would be imperative that I do so. The ones we built were training blades, capable of only bruises and minor burns. The old one would be a reminder of how the Jedi Order had betrayed me. I put up the hood of my robe, shouldered my satchel, and swept off towards the front steps of the school. I sat in the shadows of the sidewalk for a while, until I saw Fiara and Meena pull up in a speeder. I jumped in and we were off to wherever they'd left their ship. I looked back at the school for a moment, and I thought I saw a flash of a cloak flapping around the corner of the building. I convinced myself I was mistaken and we continued on.

When we arrived at the starport, I loaded my satchel onto the ship and rejoined Meena and Fiara at the bottom of the entry ramp. Fiara immediately pulled me close and whispered into my ear. "Behind us," she said. "A youngling dressed in Jedi robes. Do you know him?" I made as if to look behind us, but Fiara hissed. "DON'T. Look back. Do you know him?" "Yes," I answered. From what I had seen, it was the Ithorian boy I had defeated earlier at the Learning Center. "Really," said Fiara. "Because I only remember agreeing to take one secret Padawan." "I didn't…" I fumbled. "I…he's…not with me. I beat him in a duel earlier. He's probably going to go tell the Master." Fiara looked genuinely frightened for a moment. I knew what she was risking, and I didn't fault her for that fear. Her very place in the Order was at stake.

"Konrad," Fiara said. "I require that you pass one final test before I take you as my second, secret Padawan." "What?" I asked. She glanced back behind us briefly. "You have been taught the Mind Trick?" she asked. "Sort of," I replied. "Very well," she said. "I need you to use it on that boy. Make him forget whatever he saw." I started to go complete my task. "But," Fiara said, pulling me back. "Do not let him see your face." I nodded and turned to make it so. But anger flashed through me at the nerve of that boy, to follow me, and no doubt tell someone of my whereabouts. He would cause Fiara and me to be permanently expelled from the Order. And the Jedi would no doubt kick Meena out for good measure. It was unacceptable. The Mind Trick was not sufficient for that despicable moron. A dark impulse came to me, and I acted on it.

I nonchalantly passed Meena and made a bit of small talk, taking care to hide my face. I managed to use a slight version of the Mind Trick on her, so she wouldn't think it odd that I was asking what I was. "Meena," I asked. "You've built a fully functioning lightsaber, haven't you?" Meena beamed at me and began to regale me with a long story of how proud she was of her fully functioning, blue-bladed lightsaber. I used the Force to pull her lightsaber to me, while simultaneously using it to attach my training blade to her belt. "Meena," I said, using the Mind Trick again. "I think Fiara wanted to talk with you." Meena set off to find Fiara, while I, knowing the Ithorian would follow me, set off for a shadowy corner of the starport.


	3. Chapter 3

3

The Ithorian was either very confident or very stupid. He followed me into the shadows before he made any sort of move. I turned to face him, my deep hood still covering my face. He made to grab at it, and in one fluid movement, I ignited the lightsaber, swung it upwards, severing his outstretched right arm and distinctive hammer-shaped head, and hit the ignition switch again. All anyone would have seen was another flash of blue sparks because of some maintenance workers' tools. I used the Force to lift what was left of the Ithorian up onto an overhead rack, where he would not be discovered until we were safely off-planet. I then turned and strode confidently back to Fiara and Meena.

I now faced the challenge of switching lightsabers again, and this time, without my sister or master noticing. Quickly, I turned my head, as if I was looking over my shoulder, and I bumped into my sister. In the collision, I snatched my lightsaber off of her belt and dropped both weapons onto the floor. I apologized to Meena for not paying attention to where I was walking, and we each picked up our lightsabers.

Fiara looked troubled. She looked over at me and asked if I'd completed the task she had set me. I told her the Ithorian would wake up in his quarters at the school with no recollection of what had transpired during his nocturnal journey. "Are you absolutely sure?" she asked. "Yes, master," I answered. "Why?" "It's just…I felt something," she said. "Like a life had suddenly been snuffed out somewhere nearby." "Coronet City is a big place," I answered. "Lots of people dying every day of natural and not so natural causes." She gave me a quizzical look, and for a moment I thought that perhaps she suspected what had really happened. But she said nothing. She simply gestured us to board the ship. My sister and I did as our master bid.

Once aboard, we began the correct protocols necessary before takeoff. During the preparations, my sister took some time to tell me that she could give me my Padawan braid once we were on course. Fiara and I both vehemently opposed this idea. When Meena asked why, I thought that perhaps, even after all her studying and hard work, she was not as smart as she appeared. I explained to her the risk we would run if, by chance, we ran across another Jedi who noticed Fiara with two Padawans. By keeping my hair the way it was, and wearing something other than the traditional Jedi robes, I could appear as merely a companion to the Jedi and her Padawan. Besides, I like my hair the way it was, and would have refused the traditional braid anyway. Meena said she understood, but I know that deep down, she just wanted to cut and braid my hair.

Once we were on course, with the auto-pilot set, Fiara talked with us for a while. Her first concern was my lack of a real lightsaber. She had all the parts for one except a crystal, which I would need to find. Meena asked why we couldn't all do it together, and Fiara just looked at her in exasperation. "It's a test for me, Meena," I said. "I'm sure Fiara didn't find your blue crystal for you." "Actually," Meena said. "She did. She supplied me with an Adegan crystal for it." Fiara looked at the floor. Meena looked so happy as she said it, and once again, I felt sorry for her. All her studying and learning at the school, and she still couldn't pick up on subtle clues. I, however, knew that by setting me the task of finding my own crystal, Fiara was telling me that I was her favored student.

"So," I said. "Where are we going?" "Hoth," answered Fiara. "The colonies there are being plagued by Wampas." "What are Wampas?" asked Meena. "Wampas," answered Fiara. "Are large, carnivorous creatures that live in ice caves. They will eat whatever living thing wanders into their cave, and they have also been known to leave the cave in search of food."

"Hoth," whispered Meena. "I've heard tales about it. A beautiful planet, covered in snow and ice. It will be wonderful, I'm sure." I rolled my eyes. "Meena," I said. "You do realize that because the whole planet is snow and ice, it will be extremely cold and harsh?"

"Yes, Konrad, but the view will be incredible."

I shook my head in defeat. The girl may have been assigned as a Padawan before I was, but I was sure her naïve nature wouldn't keep her alive for long.

Fiara turned to me. "I have a second lightsaber you can utilize until you've found a crystal to make your own," she said. She handed me the adept-style hilt. As I turned it over in my hands and got a feel for its balance, she told me to turn it on and try it out. I stood up and thumbed the ignition switch. A violet blade sprung to live and hummed as I gave it a few practice turns and swings. I turned the blade off and sat down again. "It's an excellent weapon," I said. Fiara nodded. "It was my brother's before…" she began. "Before he died." I took the lightsaber as a heartfelt gift, and in that moment knew that I had chosen the right master. Fiara didn't care that Jedi were not supposed to show emotion. In that moment she had displayed genuine grief at the remembrance of her brother's passing, and love for her student in allowing me to wield the keepsake.

"Come with me," she said. "Meena. I suggest you pass some time communing with the Force while I gauge your brother's skills." I followed Fiara into a medium-sized cargo hold, where she pushed some crates of supplies out toward the edges of the room. "What saber form or forms were you instructed in?" she asked. "I was taught Shii-Cho along with the rest of the younglings," I said. "But the swordmaster also taught me some of Makashi, Soresu, and Ataru." "Interesting," Fiara replied. "Show me. And tell me what form I am utilizing." "Yes, master," I answered. Fiara hit the ignition switch on her lightsaber, and a pale orange blade shimmered into life. I looked at her brother's lightsaber for a moment before igniting it. The violet blade hummed in harmony with the orange as we circled.

With both hands, I held my blade in front of me, angled downwards, while Fiara held her blade with both hands behind her head, angled up and back. "Shien," I said. "You use Shien. And probably Djem So as well." "Very good," she said. "Your stance perhaps implies a blending of what you've been taught. Which I guess means you utilize an incomplete form of Niman. But you know what they say: Jack-of-all-trades, master of none." And with that, she stepped forward, employing a powerful upwards stroke. I sidestepped it and brought my blade down to block hers with a crackle near the floor before I leapt toward her with a lateral swing. She jerked backwards and flicked her blade out in front of her before bringing it down in a short, swift stroke, which I spun away from, but she pressed her advantage, sweeping her blade horizontally slightly above floor height. I saw it in time to jump over it, employing the Force to push myself over backwards, landing on my feet in a crouch and stabbing upward. Fiara looked genuinely surprised as she stepped away from it.

And so the practice duel continued for an interminable amount of time before Fiara had me on my back foot continuously, using her form's balance of attack and defense to press every advantage while denying me one of my own. It seemed I was increasingly relying on the defensive strengths of Soresu and the Force-aided acrobatics and quickness of Ataru to bide my time before finding an opening.

After entirely too much time spent that way, I turned to a most desperate gamble. I decided to try a maneuver that few Jedi had ever mastered. I had practiced it extensively during my waiting, but had far to go before being called its master. Utilizing my Ataru, I executed a Force-strengthened backflip before flinging my blade at Fiara, using the entirety of my concentration to use the Force to keep the ignition button pressed. The second I threw it, I knew I had lost the duel. I had misjudged my jump backwards and gone too far. Fiara had ample time to see my blade hurtling at her. She stepped to her side and her free hand flashed out, grabbing my still-ignited blade by the hilt. She now had both blades, while I had nothing. "I suppose you yield," she said, her arms at her sides, and the blades still ignited. "I…" I began. Then I summoned all my willpower and Force-pushed her backwards, but she shut off her brother's sword and stopped her momentum by dropping it and reaching out to steady herself against a crate. During this time, I had been advancing on her, and when I saw the lightsaber clatter to the floor, I focused on retrieving it and continuing the fight. I doubled my speed to reach it in time, but allowed myself a glance up at Fiara. She was now advancing on the sword as well. Except her intention was to force me to yield, not deprive me of the lightsaber. I slid on the deck plating between her legs and grabbed the sword as I passed it. I sprang up to my feet when my front one hit a crate, and I ignited my blade, turning to face Fiara. What I found myself facing was the tip of an orange lightsaber blade, aimed directly at my chest. And I was in no position to defend against it. It was inside my guard. I shut off my blade. "I yield," I said. Fiara shut off her blade and came out of her coups-de-grace stance. "You fight on when you would be expected to yield," she said. "An admirable quality in any Jedi." I smiled at her and we went to join my sister in meditation.

We found her sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed and head raised. We quietly assumed much the same position, but before we began, Fiara leaned over and whispered to me. "Do you know how to contact the spirits of Jedi masters who have gone before you?" I shook my head no. "I shall teach you to do so tomorrow," she said. Then we each became immersed in our own meditation.

I always enjoyed meditating, perhaps because I seemed to make real progress when I engaged in it. I always seemed to come out having realized something to improve my current skills, and on notably rarer occasions, start down the path of beginning new ones. But this meditation was, perhaps the one that would change my life forever.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Fiara's words had gotten me excited. Too excited to focus my mind inward in meditation. All I could think of was the knowledge I would gain by communing with great Jedi who had gone before me. I remembered back to our first day at the Learning Center on Corellia and the busts and statues of the Jedi. I wondered which master I would be able to contact. Perhaps a Skywalker or Corran Horn, a native Corellian. I could picture their statues in my mind, and I focused on them, as if I thought I could call them to me without any training.

After a while, the images in my mind began to shift, and I heard the murmur of voices. The images came into better focus, and I saw Jedi I recognized from the gallery at the school. Before me stood Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin, Luke and Ben Skywalker, Yoda, Jaina Solo, and even Mace Windu. But they weren't in corporeal forms. They were Force ghosts. I remember being so ecstatic that I almost fell out of my somewhat meditative state. I yearned to learn whatever I could from them, because I was sure that the accidental link would be broken soon. To my astonishment, it stayed long enough for the masters to study my astral Force projection. One by one, they looked me over, sizing up my strengths and weaknesses. Yoda spoke first. "Much fear I sense in him. Secret Padawan he is." "He does fear the inevitable discovery and its consequences," Luke concurred. Jaina turned away, as if she were about to leave a room. "He is beyond my help," she said, and she faded away. Obi-Wan nodded. "I have already had my share of failed students," he said, with a sideways glance at Anakin, who was still examining my Force-self. Obi-Wan too turned and faded. Yoda watched him go, and with a forlorn look on his face, followed him. "No!" I called out. "Stay! Please! You have to teach me! Don't you see? I found you on my own! I'm worthy!" "No," Ben said. "You didn't find us. We came to you, because we heard how desperate you were to learn from us. But I think none of us shall come again. You are a Padawan riddled with risk of falling to the Dark Side. Already you have broken the Jedi Code many times. You've even taken a life," he continued, referring to the Ithorian. "At best," said Luke. "You will become a Gray Jedi. A maverick and a wild card." He and Ben faded. I called out again. "If you help me, I won't fall!" I cried. "Please," I whimpered, as I began to shed tears. I realized the old Jedi were just like the new. Bureaucrats to their very core. So set in their ways that they abandoned one of their own.

All except Anakin and Mace. They had both remained silent the entire time, simply taking in everything they could about me. And so it continued, until even Anakin whispered, with a touch of regret in his voice, "I'm sorry, Konrad." Then he faded, leaving me with Master Windu. Finally, he said "You know why they're leaving don't you?" "They think I'll fall," I said. "They think I have too much fear." "They know it," Master Windu replied.

I couldn't fathom that the vaunted Jedi masters of old would just abandon a Padawan to a fate they saw to be inevitable. "They speak of fear," I said. "But they leave and refuse to teach me because they are afraid. They're all afraid, every one of them, that I'll become a Sith." Master Windu looked down and allowed himself a smirk. "You're absolutely right," he said. "You may yet become a Sith, but you'll at least be a clever one." And he too turned. "WAIT!" I yelled, and he stopped. He turned back to me. "I know what it is to master one's inner darkness," he said. "And I would help you." "But?" I asked. He looked down again. "But I spent most of my life mastering my own. I don't know if I can teach you well enough." And he turned to leave again. "You don't know or you're afraid to find out?" I retorted. He turned back to me again. "Both," he said. "If it were one or the other, I wouldn't hesitate to help you. But as it is, I fear the form of Vaapad would be too much for you. But on the other hand, you might become as exceptional as I was. And the uncertainty combined with the fear is why I can't teach it to you." He turned away again. "Then I'll teach myself," I stated defiantly. He whirled back to face me. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be?" he asked. "Those are your options, Master Windu," I said calmly. "Either you teach me, or I go down that road on my own." Anger flashed across his face. "Who do you think you are, giving a Jedi Master an ultimatum like that?" he demanded. "What's your decision?" I pressed. He suppressed his anger and sighed. "Your master intends to teach you to commune with Jedi spirits," he said. "When you have mastered that technique sufficiently, contact me, and I will do my best to supplement your training." I smiled. "Thank you, Master Windu. You are truly better and nobler than the rest in my eyes," I said. "We'll see," he said, as he faded.

My eyes snapped open, and I found Fiara and Meena both near me, with worried looks on their faces. "Konrad," Meena said. "Are you alright? You were shouting in your meditation, and we couldn't bring you out of it." I realized I was sweating, and my hands were shaking uncontrollably. "Master," I said to Fiara. "I saw them. I saw the Jedi masters. I spoke to them." Fiara gasped. "But I haven't taught you to commune with them yet," she said. "I know," I replied. "They said they came to me." "You said you spoke to them," Meena said excitedly. "What did they say?" "I-I don't know," I lied. "I couldn't quite understand them."

After some time, I calmed down enough to engage in a sparring match with Meena. We made our way to the cargo hold, with Fiara behind us. I ignited my blade and assumed my opening stance. Meena flicked her blade on as well, and offered me a salute with it. "So you've decided to master the second form, Makashi," I said. "At least I've committed myself to a form," she said. "Because I hardly consider Niman to be a form. It's merely scraps of other forms jumbled together, resulting in the inevitable death of the non-committal practitioner." "That's quite the lecture, sister," I answered. "But we both know you chose Makashi in a misguided attempt to finally be my better in lightsaber to lightsaber combat. What will you do, I wonder, when you aren't facing off against a lightsaber?" Meena simply smirked and assumed the trademark Makashi opening stance, holding her blade with one hand, pointed down at her side, as she turned her sword-side to me.

She flashed forward at me, employing Makashi's signature elegant, fluid movements and blade manipulation. Despite the form of Soresu being developed to defend against blaster fire, I found it to be a very effective counter to my sister's Makashi. Makashi emphasized short, quick, surgical fencing strikes, while Soresu was, at its core, designed to be a fluid, close shield around the wielder, using quick, short strokes to parry blaster bolts. It was easily adapted to parry a blade, as Meena soon realized.

Fiara would call out questions and instructions from time to time from her seat on the cargo crates at the edge of the room.

We found ourselves dueling to a stalemate. Every opening left in my defense was quickly sealed off, but it left me little time to attack. Eventually, Meena tried to employ some strategy against me, by switching away from her preferred Makashi and utilizing what little Ataru she knew. Both forms suited her well, as she was naturally quick and agile, perfectly able to master Makashi's elegance and Ataru's agility.

By using Ataru, she hoped to extend her reach inside of my Soresu guard, which she might have, had I not suddenly begun to use Ataru as well. It must have been entertaining to watch, what with my sister and I engaging in an almost dance-like duel. For every flipping strike, there was a spinning parry, for every acrobatic slash, an equally impressive dodge.

Finally, we crossed sabers in the middle of the room. Both of us used our wide base to put every ounce of strength into overpowering the other. I could feel myself slipping ever so slightly backward and realized how much energy I had used during that day. The duel with Fiara had taken quite a bit, and so had my meditation. But this duel had taken the most out of me. The sheer focus required to use Soresu effectively, followed by the physicality of Ataru had all but drained me. This had to be the endgame, and I was no longer going to throw duels to Meena. I pushed her backward with a Force Push, which achieved the desired effect. Meena staggered backward, still on her feet, but now startled and momentarily disoriented. I lunged forward and swung my blade down with both hands. It hit Meena's with a crackle, and she dropped her blade. I called it to me with the Force. She stood at the point of the purple blade, panting, her brown hair wet with perspiration. "I yield," she muttered. I switched my blade off and tossed her blade back to her. Fiara came over, clapping her hands. "Excellent display, both of you. Not only did you display solid fundamentals, you elaborated on your forms as well, rather than simply using rote techniques." She looked at Meena. "Your Makashi is coming along nicely Meena," she said. "But your brother has taught you something very valuable today. Every form is weak to at least one other form's application, be it orthodox, or, in Konrad's case, unorthodox." She looked at me. "Magnificent, Konrad. You adapted well throughout the duel. And your coups-de-grace was very nice as well. But I was disappointed to see that you didn't use the Saber Throw." I smiled. "I don't think I'll be using that technique again until I've gotten much better at it. "Where did you learn of it?" Fiara asked. "I saw the swordmaster and a visiting Jedi practicing it once, during the waiting," I said. "So I watched them and listened. Then I practiced it on my own." "Well," Fiara said. "I've seen it used very effectively. I wouldn't give up on it so lightly. Especially since you merely need to fine-tune it."

We spent the rest of our journey training in both the physical and metaphysical aspects of the Force. We came out of hyperspace in the near Hoth and got busy packing our kits. They consisted of thermally insulated clothes and various other supplies to counter the harsh environment of Hoth.

We made planet-fall a short time later, and after completing the necessary procedures at the spaceport, we donned our new clothing and set out to meet Fiara's contact in the colony. I had made sure my borrowed lightsaber was hidden by my attire, yet easily accessible. Fiara had secured a blaster pistol for me to keep up my façade as a distant relation of hers that she had called in for the mission. I kept it holstered at my hip, hoping I wouldn't ever have to use it in front of anyone. I had never used one before, and I didn't want to be out fighting Wampas with one or more locals in tow, where I'd be forced to use the pistol instead of the lightsaber.

We found our way to the contact, Dax LeCharde, who was a man who had been living in the colony his whole life. I think he was a mayor or some sort of elder. Whoever he was, he had the details of our mission. He lived in a little hab-unit toward the middle of the town that was painted a bright purple, presumably to stand out from the snow. We found the door slightly open, and Fiara stepped cautiously inside. _No one in their right mind lives on Hoth and keeps their door open_, I thought. Fiara whispered to us to enter quietly and be on our guard. We crept in slowly and quietly, shutting the door behind us. All the lights were on in the domicile and either the man was very messy, or there had been a struggle here. Fiara took out her lightsaber and turned the blade on. Meena and I followed suit. After searching the home for a while and finding nothing and no one, we decided to leave and come back another time. But I could tell Fiara still thought something was wrong. I felt it too. The door just made no sense. _It would have been closed_, I thought.

I saw Meena trip over something as we left. She had gotten her foot caught in some sort of metal circle, like a door-knocker on the floor. I pulled on it, and a section of the floor lifted up on hinges. I couldn't see for the darkness, so I stuck my lightsaber blade down through the opening. "There are stairs," I said. "There's a basement." Fiara came over and led us down the stairs. I heard Fiara gasp before I got to the bottom, so I jumped the last few. Illuminated by the light of Fiara's blade was Dax LeCharde. He was slumped over at a desk, with a lightsaber stab wound in his torso.


	5. Chapter 5

5

"What do we do now?" I asked Fiara. "We find a hologram projector, I send word back to the Order of what has happened, and we go from there," she answered. There was an edge to her voice I had never heard before. I assumed it was because she was thinking what I was. Dax LeCharde might have been killed by a Sith. It was more likely than a local getting their hands on a lightsaber and settling a score. We exited the home and made our way to the Peacekeeper station in the town. Fiara reported the incident to them and informed them that she would handle it after identifying herself as a Jedi Knight and telling the officers of the lightsaber wound. The local authorities were very compliant. I half-suspected she had used the Mind Trick on them. They even allowed Fiara to use their hologram projector to contact the Order. Meena and I waited patiently outside the room she communicated from. Fiara came back out a little while later, sighed, and put her goggles and hood back on. "Our orders are to do what we came to, and if possible, figure out what happened to Mr. LeCharde," she said. "The Order told me they sent one other Jedi to rendezvous with us. We will find him and begin our Wampa control mission." I made sure my lightsaber was still hidden sufficiently as soon as I heard this development.

We set off back to the spaceport to inquire about any other Jedi who had arrived on Hoth. The attendant was able to point us in the direction of the local bar after recalling a Jedi who had asked him its location. We found the bar without much difficulty, and the barkeep motioned at a man in a corner booth when we inquired about our mystery contact. We went over and took seats with him. He pulled back his fur-lined hood to reveal a somewhat aged face, outlined by long black hair and a beard that were both peppered with gray. His eyes were a dull green and were sunken back a bit. There was something about him that made me wary, but Fiara smiled the moment she saw him. "Cisum Thims!" She exclaimed as she reached over to embrace him. He chuckled warmly back at her. "Meena and Garth," she said, referring to me by my agreed-upon alias. "I'd like you to meet Cisum Thims. He was my master's first Padawan. We had so many adventures together." Cisum nodded in our direction. "I see you chose the Ssor girl as your Padawan," he said. "Whatever happened to her brother? Konrad, was it?" I could tell I wasn't going to enjoy this conversation at all. Fiara shot me a sideways glance, as if to apologize for the subject being brought up. "He ran away from the Learning Center before his time as a youngling expired without being chosen for an apprenticeship," she said. Cisum raised his eyebrows. "Really?" he said. "That's a shame. I'd heard he had much potential, and I intended to go choose him as my Padawan in person, but I was assigned one by the Order." Fiara grunted quizzically. "Where is your Padawan? I don't see them," she said. Cisum looked down at the table. "He proved unequal to the demands of being a Jedi," he replied. "He died on a peacekeeping mission to Coruscant a short time ago." I was suddenly relieved that I was not his Padawan, if the man couldn't keep them alive for even a year.

"And who might you be?" he asked, looking at me. "I'm Garth Hurgis," I lied. "I'm Fiara's cousin." "Indeed?" Cisum said. "He's a little young to be out on a mission like this, don't you think, Fiara?" "It's perfectly alright," she answered. "He's a child prodigy with a blaster pistol. He can take care of himself." _Great_, I thought. _Now I'll probably have to use this blaster in front of the old nerf_. I pulled out the pistol and gave it a few Force-aided twirls for added effect. Cisum nodded. "So I see," he said. "Shall we head out?"

We set off for the outskirts of the town, our boots crunching in the snow and leaving rather deep footprints behind us. Cisum looked sidelong at the three of us. "I've found a wampa cave a short distance from here," he said. "Either the wampa was gone when I discovered it, or the creature had abandoned it altogether, so it should be a relatively safe starting point." "What exactly are the parameters we're adhering to here?" I inquired. "Are we capturing the wampas or doing something else?" "Normally," the old Jedi replied. "We would attempt to capture them and transport them as far away from the colonies as possible. But they're overpopulated. They have no natural predator on Hoth, and so they have become the dominant non-sentient life forms on the planet. The tauntaun population, as a result, is endangered. To bring back the balance here and also to protect the colonies, we have been cleared to kill every wampa we come across."

Soon after that, we arrived at the entrance to the wampa cave Cisum had found. We entered cautiously, making as little noise as possible. Fiara and the other two had ignited their lightsabers. I reached for mine before remembering our secret and drawing the blaster. We kept creeping quietly to the back of the cave, where we would either find the wampa or confirm that the cave was indeed abandoned.

As Cisum turned a corner, I heard a deep, rumbling savage snarl before seeing a huge white blur connect with Cisum's shoulder. The impact spun him around and unbalanced him. He lost his footing and fell, hitting his head as he landed. Fiara and Meena stepped wide around the corner, readier than Cisum had been. I rushed to Cisum and waved my hand in front of his eyes while shouting at him to wake up. "Konrad!" Fiara yelled. "Quit fooling around and help us!" I holstered the blaster and produced the lightsaber from its hiding place. I ignited the blade and flung myself around the corner. What I saw almost knocked me off my feet. Fiara and Meena were battling four fully grown wampas between them. The four appeared to protecting some wampa cubs. I steeled myself and jumped into the fray. I ducked the swipe of a paw and blocked another with the blade. The paw fell steaming into the snow, which melted by the wounded end. The wampa roared in pain and began to fall to all fours. I backed away a few steps and assumed the Shien opening stance I had seen Fiara use in our duel. The wampa moved forward, and I moved to meet it, stepping through a powerful upwards strike with my blade. The creature fell dead to the floor, its face marked by a cauterized slash wound. There was now one wampa for each of us, and those were odds that were not in the beasts' favor. Fiara finished her opponent with a swift slash at the creature's exposed midsection. She stepped back quickly to avoid the falling body.

Meena managed to take away her wampa's lower paws. She avoided the falling creature and then had to deal with her ground-bound monster. She utilized an Ataru somersault to land behind the wampa's head and performed a quick coups-de-grace through the creature's torso.

I faced down my second wampa, again using the little of the Shien form that Fiara had taught to me on the voyage. I figured I would need the powerful strikes and robust defense against a creature as massive as a wampa. The towering white, horned beast advanced, and I saw only a will to survive in its black eyes. It swung its clawed paws with abandon, catching both Fiara and Meena by surprise. Meena was knocked through an ice sheet into a separate area of the cave and unconscious, and Fiara was knocked into the crowd of cubs, who promptly attempted to eat her. I now knew my opponent was desperate, but I still didn't have a precise idea of what I could expect from it. I backed cautiously away, but the wampa moved after me. I abruptly adopted a high frontal guard and a crouch. The wampa bellowed and charged. Its massive limbs carried it forward with amazing speed, and it was swinging both arms with what appeared to be all its strength. I backed up a few more paces and tripped over Cisum, dropping my lightsaber. It switched off automatically and rolled away in the snow. The wampa closed in for the kill, and it dove, apparently in an attempt to crush me. Before it could leave its feet, I yanked the blaster from its holster, pointed it at the huge frame, and squeezed the trigger as many times as it took for the wampa to fall.

I hurried to retrieve my lightsaber. I ignited it again and ran to help Fiara, but by the time I got to her, it was clear that she didn't need it. She stood inside a circle of dead wampa cubs, orange lightsaber humming. She switched the blade off. "See to your sister," she instructed. "I will check on Cisum." I switched off my blade and returned the lightsaber to its place as I hurried to my sister. She opened her eyes slightly as I lifted her head. "Meena," I said. "Can you hear me? Is anything broken?" She shook her head no, and winced in pain as she did so. "Easy," I said. "Just rest here for a bit." I looked over my shoulder to see if Fiara had managed to wake Cisum yet, but the cave wall was blocking my view. Then I saw something gleaming in the wall. I brushed the snow away and found a metal cube embedded in it. There were a few lights blinking in it, and what appeared to be a loudspeaker. "Fiara!" I called. "I've found something." She came over and regarded the cube with a puzzled look. "What is it?" she asked. "It looks like some sort of speaker system," I said. "What's it doing here?" she inquired. I shrugged. Fiara motioned for me to move aside, and as I did so, she ignited her lightsaber. She cut into the snow around the cube and then put away her blade. She pulled the cube out of the wall and gave it a closer look. "It's obviously battery powered," she said. "We'll take it back to town with us and figure it out there."

Meena was feeling a bit better by now, and she commented on the terrible smell of burnt hair. I helped her up off the ground and we went to Fiara and Cisum. The old man was up into a sitting position, but he still looked shaken. His thermal coat seemed to have taken the brunt of the attack, because although the clothes were somewhat ragged, it seemed the wampa's claws had failed to pierce his skin. He produced his Jedi cloak from his pack and put it on to cover the hole in his jacket, so as to avoid exposure in the harsh cold of Hoth. We headed back to town with the box, and found our lodging, as night was about to fall. Fiara and Cisum decided to examine the box the following day, so we all tried to get some sleep.

We were harshly woken in the middle of the night by a loud noise. We couldn't tell exactly what the noise was. It sounded like a motley blend of about eight different sounds. But we knew where it was coming from. Fiara and Cisum both made to strike the box with their ignited lightsabers, but I stopped them. There was a power switch on the back of the box, which I turned to the off position. The Knights put away their weapons and looked horrified. Meena and I both asked why. They told us to get back in our outdoor gear, and while we did so, they explained that wampas have been known to be scared out of their caves by loud noises. Fiara hypothesized that someone had deliberately planted these speakers in every wampa cave they could, and then placed a trail of them out side the caves in such a way that would lead the wampas toward the town. She also figured that they must be set to blare at a certain time, judging from the one we'd found.

We rushed out into the night, and sure enough, by the town lights, we saw wampas roaming the streets. "We have to split up to fight them," Cisum said. Fiara nodded. Meena took off down a street, and I silently wished her luck before I set out down a different street. I could hear wampas howling, but I couldn't make out if any of them were nearby. _At least the citizens have enough sense to stay indoors_, I thought. I listened for the others, but I heard nothing from them. Just the wampas. Figuring that Cisum was too far away to see me, I ignited my lightsaber and continued down the street. Suddenly, I heard a wampa snort close by, and I ducked down a small alley and killed the blade. Soon, I saw it lumbering by, and I waited until it passed the alley before re-igniting my blade. I spun it once and jumped out into the street, slashing vertically in front of me. The wampa howled in pain and fell in the snow. I heard some howls answering it, and realized I'd made a huge mistake. I turned to see three more wampas behind it. They charged at me, and I rushed to meet them. If I was going to die on this icicle, I would not die a coward. I slid underneath the legs of one, cutting as I went. It fell, roaring, into the snow. I waited for the other two to come back for me. They did, and I ducked their attacks, ending up between them. One took a swipe at me, but I rolled under it, and it hit its fellow wampa. Apparently, the other took exception to that, and the two began to fight each other. This allowed me time to make sure the first was finished, and by the time I returned for the other two, they were both bleeding out into the snow. I left them and went down another street to find a wampa clawing at someone's door. I executed a Force-boosted Ataru flip and took the creature's head off before landing.

I rushed further down the street, where I could make out what appeared to be a stubborn local trying to fight off three wampa cubs. As I ran, I debated whether or not to kill the cubs. Fiara had done it, but I wasn't sure that made it right. I'd hardly call a wampa cub a defenseless creature, but still, something just didn't seem right about cutting down a living thing before the prime of its life. But if balance was to be restored, then a major part of the solution to the wampa overpopulation problem was to thin out the cubs. I slashed through the first one, which alerted the others of my presence. They rushed me together, and I pushed one back with the Force while impaling the other as it jumped at me. I rolled through the thrust and stepped through a downwards diagonal slash. Then I turned to the man and politely told him to go back inside. "The Jedi will handle this," I said.

A flash of robe appeared around the next street corner, which meant Cisum was headed my way. I put away the lightsaber and took out the clumsy blaster pistol. Turning the corner, I pointed the blaster at whatever I deemed to be large and white enough to be a wampa. I had a wide choice of targets, so I blasted away randomly, taking care only to avoid hitting Cisum. One shot spun a wampa around by the shoulder, while another nicked a second wampa. I hated that pistol. The lightsaber was much more effective against creatures this large.

Cisum was, apparently, when not ambushed, a very accomplished practitioner of Soresu. He was doing quite a bit of damage simply by blocking the creatures' paw swipes with his blade. Before long, he was dealing with wampas who were trying to bite him, because none of them had any front paws left. This made the defensive master's task one of offense, and it was also rather simple. I was still picking at the wampas with safe shots when I could, and by trying to bite the old Jedi, the wampas left themselves undefended against his lightsaber. Soon enough, he'd cleaved his way through the group. I went to him and looked for any wampas that might happen upon us. "Come, Garth," he said. "We need to find Fiara and her Padawan."

We hurried down every street, fighting off wampas as we went, until finally, we found Meena and Fiara back to back, their lightsabers up and humming, encircled by a large group of wampas. Cisum leaned to me. "Go around to the other side of the group," he told me. "And take care that you're not seen. Once you get there, start blasting, and we'll break them." I nodded and set off. Soon, I came skidding around the corner and began blasting. Wampas spun, shook and fell under my withering sheet of blaster bolts. Cisum jumped into the fray, his green lightsaber blade darting around, seemingly at the speed of thought. Fiara and Meena had made use of our assault to take their own offensive. The wampas now faced a four pronged assault of lightsabers and blaster fire. Soon enough, they'd all been cut down, and we swept the streets for any we may have missed. We found a few stragglers, and put them to the blade or the blaster.

"We need to figure out that speaker," Fiara said. We headed back to our lodgings and set to work. Cisum and Fiara both had some basic mechanical experience, but Meena and I had both gained our father's technical intuition, and had learned much by watching him fix his bar's various machines. We dismantled the machine, analyzing and identifying parts before attempting to reassemble it. Eventually, we were successful in doing so, and we reported our findings to the two Jedi. "It's definitely a loudspeaker," Meena said. "It's been built to broadcast a received signal at a set time." "The signal is short-range, though," I added. "The signal's being broadcasted from at least Hoth, but probably somewhere near the colonies, like inside one of the towns."


	6. Chapter 6

6

"So we've confirmed our suspicions that the wampas are being driven into the colonies," said Fiara. "And we now know that that the signal is coming from somewhere on-planet." "Hoth is a large planet," Cisum said. "And full of remote areas in which this persons or persons unknown could hide." "We can try to trace the signal, but I don't know how much success we'd have," I offered. _It's the Sith_, I thought. _It has to be them_. _The lightsaber wound, the attacks on innocent colonial people_. _Sith_. The word was like a firebrand in my mind. The instructors at the school on Corellia had shown us hallmarks of Sith cruelty. Their attacks were typically cunning in stunningly brutal ways. I had no doubt as to who had done this, but the why still eluded me.

We spent the rest of the day trying to back-trace the speaker signal, but we had no success. When night fell, we all tried to get some sleep, but were once again woken by the speaker, which we had flicked back on, just in case. Once again, we rushed out into the deep cold of the Hoth night. A blizzard was coming. The winds at least had already arrived. They whipped around us with no mercy, howling so loud that we had to shout to hear each other over them.

As before, we all charged off our separate ways, and as before, there was a great number of wampas roaming the streets. I had thought that maybe the culling we had done the night before would have left fewer wampas to angrily flee the mystery speakers into the town. Apparently, it had been wishful thinking. I saw two wampas fighting over an unlucky local who had been caught outside. Charging forward, lightsaber ignited, my scream lost on the wind, I slashed through one wampa's torso, and spun through the blow to parry the second wampa's attempt to gore me. Its horn fell smoking into the snow, and the wampa reared up in pain. I cut an "x" into its chest, urged the local back into her home, and continued down the street. All I could think of was how tired I was. We should have slept during the day and worked by night. Anger swelled within me, and it made me careless. I ran straight down the avenue of hard-packed snow, not bothering to do visual sweeps of my peripheral surroundings. I heard a roar carried on the wind and turned. There was a brief flash of off-white fur, a blinding surge of pain, and then darkness.

I woke up in a cave, my wrists shackled behind me as I sat against a wall. I could see the wampa further towards the entrance of the cave. It was the figure between us that had my attention, though. It was hazy at first, but as I came back into consciousness, it focused better, until I clearly saw a humanoid figure in a deep black cloak, levitating a boulder-sized chunk of ice. The hooded face turned toward me, and the ice dropped abruptly, causing the wampa to turn and snarl as it moved forward. The figure held out its hand, and the wampa was flung back against the cave wall. "Rise and shine, young Jedi," the figure rasped. It moved a few steps closer to me before it knelt down and removed its hood. A human male looked into my eyes. His head was completely shaven, and metal jewelry jutted from his eyebrows, nose, mouth, and ears. Dark gray eyes narrowed to slits peered out from the metal-studded brows, and a long scar ran diagonally down his face, starting at the upper left of his forehead and ending under the right side of his jaw.

"Where is your Padawan braid?" he asked. "Surely you are not a full-fledged Jedi yet?" "I'm a clandestine apprentice," I answered. I didn't want to tell him anything, but something compelled me to. The Sith smiled, baring yellow teeth that had been sharpened to fangs. "A lawbreaker," he said with a rough chuckle. "Your master has more than one apprentice?" I nodded. "Well then," he replied. "You will lead me to your master and your fellow apprentice, and I will kill you all three together. You'll be one happy family when you join the Force." He laughed, and I caught a brief glimpse of a studded tongue. "Up," he commanded, and I proceeded to struggle to get up. In the end, I had to use the Force to help get me on my feet. The Sith reached for my face, and I instinctively jerked backwards, but I found nothing but the wall. He laughed as he pulled my goggles down over my eyes and my hood over my head. Then he reached into the folds of his cloak and produced two lightsabers: his own, and Fiara's late brother's. Apparently, the wampa had brought it back along with me. How, I had no idea.

The Sith ignited both blades and motioned for me to walk in front of him. We exited the cave, and he shouted instructions to me over the wind as to which way to walk. It was torture, plain and simple. Trying to keep my balance with my hands behind my back in the fierce winds, knowing I was heading to not only my death, but most likely Meena's as well. I figured that would be as far as the Sith would get before being cut down by either Fiara or Cisum. As we neared the town, the Sith put away the violet blade, and threatened me onward with his crimson lightsaber. As I led him down the street toward where we had been staying, Meena stepped around a corner. I called out to her to get back before I dove sideways. My stubborn sister ignited her lightsaber and charged the Sith. He readied himself in an Ataru stance, and as my sister set to work with her Makashi, the Sith adeptly stayed out of her range while he struck. Meena was soon hard-pressed to keep up with the Sith's onslaught, and she was increasingly on her back foot, desperately parrying the Sith's powerful aerobatic strikes. I watched the duel helplessly, as I lay in the snow, struggling against the shackles. My desperation grew along with Meena's, and I was frantically reaching out for Fiara and Cisum with my mind. But they were not coming fast enough, if at all.

In one, final, fatal instant, I saw a hole in Meena's defense just before the Sith did. In my panic, I tried to move one of the duelists' blades. His or hers, it didn't matter. I reached out for a lightsaber with my mind, and I found one. The purple blade hummed to life, and it sprang up from the hilt, burning through the Sith's robes and giving him a new facial scar. Fiara hesitated for a moment as the Sith bellowed in agony. Then she drove the point of her blade home into her opponent's heart. She retrieved the violet lightsaber and cut my bonds and helped me to my feet. I had just finished tucking away my borrowed lightsaber when Fiara and Cisum slid out from an alley, lightsabers ignited. They both breathed a heavy sigh of relief when they found us sitting in the street, shaking with the closeness of the fight. Cisum looked for a moment at the Sith's lifeless corpse before he shut off his blade and joined Fiara at our sides. "Truly you chose your apprentice well, Fiara," he said. "Young Meena here is not yet thirteen, and already she has one Sith kill to her credit." I glared darkly up at him from under my brow. _This is how it will be_, I thought. _I will do the work, but because Meena is the official apprentice, she will gain all the credit_. I rose to my feet and headed back to our lodgings. "I need to sleep," I said, and I suppose my tone had been somewhat surly. "Tomorrow, we need to go find the speaker trail and see it destroyed," Fiara called after me. I nodded and raised my hand in acknowledgement.

The Hoth morning dawned, bright and cold. We set out in a borrowed speeder, trying our best to back-trace wampa tracks. The almost constant snow and wind made it difficult, but we made use of a metal detector to find the speakers. Each one was scrapped with a single thrust of a lightsaber. We doubted we had gotten them all, but both Cisum and Fiara had received new missions from the Order after reporting the incident with the Sith and giving an estimate of the wampa body count from our visit. The Order had conveyed advice to the local authorities as to the speakers and the wampa problem.

We said our goodbyes to Cisum over hot caffeine at the local cantina. Meena and I made small talk while Fiara and Cisum discussed their new assignments. That is, until we heard Cisum say that his new task was to find and apprehend Konrad Ssor and bring him before the High Council. Meena and I went deathly silent. Fiara gave Cisum a sour look, and he responded with a surprised visage. He turned to Meena with a kindly smile and patted her hand. "I assure you, my dear girl, he will come to no harm. The council merely wants to speak with him," he said. I looked up, strangely encouraged by his promise. "I…" I started. Fiara stepped on my foot. Cisum regarded me curiously. "I'm sure you can trust Cisum," I said to Meena. "He won't hurt your brother. If he finds him, I added." "It is not a matter of if, Garth," he said. "It is a matter of when. Everyone the Order has ever sent me after has been found." I grunted in what I suppose was one half sullen agreement and one half mockery. I was, after all, sitting right in front of the man.

Cisum packed his things and was gone to the starport before us. As we walked down the packed snow streets, I realized I had forgotten a jacket in the room we'd stayed in. Fiara and Meena assured me they would wait for me. I hurried back, and the host of the inn was kind enough to give me the key to our room to get my jacket. I entered, and the room was pitch dark. We had turned out the lights and drawn the shutters against the glare from the snow. I stepped into the room, fumbling for the light controls, when a green lightsaber blade sprang forth, the point hovering centimeters from my chin. The lights flicked on, and Cisum stood before me. "You didn't really think you had me fooled, did you?" he said, smiling. "Go ahead," I answered. "Take me before the council in chains. Expel Fiara and Meena from the Order. Ruin three lives to complete your precious mission from the bureaucrats." The old Jedi laughed. "You will go before the council, Konrad, I promise you, but you will not be in chains. And the council may yet expel Fiara and your sister, but they want words with you, boy." He led me back to the starport after taking away my borrowed lightsaber and the blaster. We passed Meena and Fiara on the way to Cisum's starship. They rushed to me, but Cisum ordered them back. Meena was in tears. She knew what this meant for all of us; she knew just as well as I did. And never before or since did I see such fury etched on Fiara's face. Her auburn hair hung over her furrowed brow, which narrowed her yellow eyes to slits, and her scarlet lips seemed to silently promise some sort of unknown terrible retribution. Cisum gave her a look as if to say he was sorry before he wrestled me onto his ship. We then set out for Corellia, Cisum set on carrying out his duty, and I wondering if I'd ever see Meena or Fiara again.


	7. Chapter 7

7

I'd been in my old quarters for two days, with two Jedi guarding the door. They had escorted me to my meals and back, all the while making sure I did not escape before the full Jedi Council had convened in person. I still didn't know what this was all about; why it was all so important. My mind whirled, filled with anger, confusion, and regret at every thought: my own stubbornness, Cisum's betrayal, Meena and Fiara's fate; all that had happened in the last week. There was only one retreat from it all. I meditated as much as I could. The first time, my mind had not been completely clear, and Master Windu had appeared to me, sensing my distress.

"Please, master," I pleaded. "I need you to start teaching me the ways of Vaapad." Mace looked at me with reservation. "You haven't even mastered Shien yet," he said. "That knowledge is key to understanding Vaapad and practicing it successfully." "Please," I repeated. "Something is going to happen soon. I will need Vaapad. I know it. I can feel it in the Force." Mace looked me over for a few moments. I bared my Force-self, exposing all my knowledge, memories, everything I was. "Very well," he said after a time. "I'll oblige you, but the sessions will be intense. I'll have to teach you much of the Shien form before we begin Vaapad."

For nearly two full days, Master Windu came to me in my meditation, teaching me what was left of Shien before giving me lessons in Vaapad, the form of lightsaber combat he himself had invented. I broke only to eat and meet the needs of my body. I did not even sleep. When the guards opened my door to take me before the council, they no doubt found me shirtless, sweat running off my thick, wavy black hair and down the rest of my torso, all the while making combat movements with empty hands at empty assailants. They broke my meditation and waited while I prepared myself for the council meeting.

The two Jedi silently escorted me to the council chambers and ushered me in, holding their places inside the doors. I looked around the room, finding all twelve members of the council seated in a semi-circle, with Cisum standing behind them. I recognized the Quarren Jedi from my first visit to the school. He seemed to recognize me as well. I saw five human Jedi Masters, an Ithorian, a Gran, a Twi'Lek, a Bothan, a Weequay, and a Nautolan.

One of the humans spoke. "I am Grand Master Vor Baggrin," he said. "You, Konrad Ssor, are here because you are a fugitive from the Order, and have driven a Jedi in good standing to break traditions set thousands of years ago by taking you as a secret Padawan. We would also like to know what you know of the disappearance of a young Ithorian." "How do you answer to these charges?" asked the Ithorian. His eyes betrayed his mistrust of me. He most likely suspected I had something to do with the young Ithorian's 'disappearance.' He was right, I thought. I stood silent for a moment before the Bothan repeated the Ithorian's question.

"I answer that your tradition is just that," I said. "Tradition, not law. Further, I tell you it is unfounded and even contrary to the Jedi ideals. And as for the Ithorian, I don't know anything beyond the fact that he followed myself, my sister, and our master to the starport." A chorus of gasps rose up at my reply. Even the guards at the doors could keep their silence no longer. I thought I glimpsed Cisum smirking.

"Your answers and countercharges are…disturbing," said the Gran Jedi. "I wonder if you are even worthy of Jedi material. After all, there is the matter of your midichlorian count." It was only then that I recognized him as the Gran who had taken blood samples from my sister and me a few years ago. "If you think me unworthy," I answered. "Then I refuse to be judged by you. You are not impartial. The Force will give me justice through combat. And I reserve the right to challenge my opponent myself." Another round of gasps came up. "What you are suggesting is barbaric," said the Nautolan. "It is a Sith ritual." "Do you not require Trials of Skill, Flesh, and Courage to become a Knight?" I asked. "I put it to you that these are but civilized versions trial by combat." More gasps arose. "I agree with young Konrad, for what it's worth," Cisum put in. "Perhaps if the council were to grant him his request, he would withdraw his questioning of its impartiality." The councilors all considered this and agreed to grant my request. "In that case," I said. "I challenge you." The councilors all followed my outstretched arm and pointer finger, which led their gaze to Cisum. They all gasped again. All except Cisum. I wasn't quite sure what shocked them more: the fact that I was going through with the challenge or that I was challenging a full-fledged Knight of the Order. "I suppose it is only fitting that I be the one," Cisum said with a sigh. "I was the one tasked with bringing you here."

"If this madness takes place, it will take place in the lightsaber training area," said Grand Master Baggrin. "_Not_ the council chambers." So we all made our way to the training area, the councilors and the two guards standing around the walls, with Cisum and me in the middle of the room.

"I believe you will need a blade," said Cisum. Each of the guards made to offer me theirs, but Cisum motioned them back. He produced my borrowed lightsaber from the folds of his cloak and tossed it across to me. I switched it on and gave it a few twirls. Cisum ignited his own blade, and the Grand Master, with a heavy sigh, commanded us to begin. Cisum made no move toward me, and I had expected as much. His Soresu form was a very defensive form. I assumed a one-handed guard, my blade held horizontally at chest height, and began to circle. Cisum circled in the same direction. For a few minutes, that was the only movement in the room. The only sound was that of our blades humming.

I wondered if he would make the first move. How limited was his patience? In this case, I found it was fairly limited. He moved forward to engage me, swinging his blade in a short, quick motion, as befitted his form. I flicked it away with my own blade. Cisum struck again, and I slapped the blade away from my chest, again at the legs, and yet again at the head before resuming my guard. I realized the old man was aiming not to kill or even injure me. Without going full contact, this duel would mean nothing. "Put the youngling tricks away." I said. "Let's be serious here." Cisum smirked and attacked again. I countered his swift strikes with powerful blocks characteristic of the Shien form. No one in the room had reason to believe they were anything else. But I was finally using Vaapad. I was tapping into all my negative emotions; all my anger, frustration, confusion, and hate was being fed through me in a loop. The joy I found in combat strengthened my movements, and honed my reflexes. I was far from a master, mind you, but it was still an incredible feeling. Every strike Cisum leveled at me was knocked away forcefully, followed by attacks of equal or greater ferocity. Gradually, I forced Cisum to his back foot, his green blade flitting to keep up with my fast, powerful blows that came from unexpected directions. His Soresu was being sorely tested. His sad, grimly confident expression gave way to a startled look, followed by one of stoic focus and determination.

I don't know what I must have looked like, but I have often imagined that I must have seemed a whirling dervish, perhaps even giving voice to my rage. I was too focused on keeping my emotions inside the loop, feeding them through me to my violet blade.

Eventually, Cisum found an opportunity to disengage and gather himself. I left him to it. He stood, with his balanced guard up, breathing heavily. I realized that, though I was sweating, I had yet to lose my regular breathing rhythm. I stood, blade pointed casually at the floor, and waited for Cisum. I took note of the councilors' expressions. They all wore one of surprise, if not admiration. _The trial could end now_, I thought. I'd already won over the necessary number of councilors. Just as I reflected on this, Cisum lunged, utilizing broad sweeping strokes more characteristic of Shien than his preferred Soresu. I swatted the first aside, returning my blade to its former position without having moved my feet. Once, twice, thrice he struck, and all three times I knocked the attack aside. I cocked my head to the side and then lunged myself. I rained two-handed blows down upon him, and he was forced to use both hands to frantically block them.

Then it happened. He resorted to a Force trick to gain some respite from my onslaught. I was flung backwards, and I reached out to the Force to regain my balance and stay upright, with a bit of acrobatic flair. He was upon me the instant I landed, sending short slashes and stabs at me. I dodged some and parried others. But eventually we crossed blades and set our weight and wills against each other. Cisum gave his hilt a sharp twist, and my lightsaber fell from my hand. He quickly caught it and pointed both blades at my throat. "Yield," he commanded. I glanced around at the councilors. They had all lost their favorable expressions. I smirked, and with all the quickness I could muster, I swung myself under the blades and grabbed the bottom of both of Cisum's wrists in a tight grip. I brought myself up to eye level with him, and in his continued confusion, I jumped up and pushed my feet off of his chest, boosting myself with the Force for greater effect. As I flipped over backwards, I grasped my lightsaber hilt and continued on my vector. I landed quite far away from Cisum, and he stumbled awkwardly backwards, only just maintaining his feet.

Cisum readied himself again before sending multiple Force pushes at me. I resisted each one in turn, and watched with a wary eye as he charged me. I twirled my blade in my hand, speeding up with each turn, until it was naught but a circular violet blur. Cisum was bearing down on me now, and I catapulted my lightsaber out of its spin with violent suddenness. Cisum saw it as it flew, straight and true towards his face. He skidded to a halt and managed to bring up his own blade to block it. But the strength with which I'd flung the blade, combined with the extra power I gave to it with the Force was enough to knock Cisum's lightsaber from his grip. I sent a wall of a Force push at him while reaching out with it to take hold of both the blades and keep them ignited. Cisum slammed against the far wall, where I pinned him with the Force, striding confidently over to level the points of both blades at his defenseless torso. I raised an eyebrow, and he gasped out, "I yield." I released him and turned off both blades. He slumped down to the floor, where I dropped his lightsaber to him. He sat there for a while, catching his breath.

I brushed my hair away from my eyes as I returned to the councilors. "The Force has found you innocent, boy," stated the Bothan. I nodded. "As I knew it would," I answered. "Now we are left with the question of what to do with him," said Baggrin. "He has won his combat," said one of the other human masters. "I think it only fair the choice be left up to him. He can become a true Padawan of any Jedi he chooses. Or, he can go back to Fiara." The other councilors nodded in agreement. "Well, Konrad," said Baggrin. "What will it be?" "Fiara," I answered without a moment's hesitation. "Very well," said the Gran. "I suppose her pupil has demonstrated Fiara's skill at teaching two apprentices at once."

I strode confidently down the halls of the school to where Fiara and Meena were staying, my borrowed lightsaber hanging unashamedly from my belt. I stepped through the doors, and Meena ran at me and leapt onto me in an embrace. "Konrad!" she exclaimed. "They let you go?" I nodded. "Yes," I said. "They've given me their blessing to go on being Fiara's second Padawan." Fiara smiled, but kept her seat. I looked to Meena. "Can I speak to Fiara alone for Moment?" "Absolutely," Meena said cheerfully. I took a seat on the couch next to Fiara as the doors shut behind Meena.

"What was so abnormal about my midichlorian count?" I asked. Fiara sighed. "I knew that someday you would find out," she replied. "The day I brought you and your sister here, we took those blood tests. You remember them?" I nodded. "Well," she continued. "Meena's midichlorian count was just slightly over the minimum to be trained as a Jedi. But yours…yours was far too low. And yet you showed greater aptitude than she did. I don't know if you know this, Konrad, but there was a prophecy a long time ago. It stated that a Chosen One would arise and bring balance to the Force. Many thought that the prophecy referred to Anakin Skywalker, whose midichlorian count was exceptionally high. But there has not been balance in the Force for a long time, and I fear that Anakin was not the Chosen One. You might be. Judging from your midichlorian count, you have no business being a Jedi, and yet, you have such skill and even greater potential. That is why you were accepted into the Order. And that is why no Jedi would take you on as a Padawan. They all feared that history would repeat itself, and, like Anakin, you would fall to the Dark Side and endanger the Jedi."

"Is that why you chose Meena instead of me?" I asked. I was not entirely sure I wanted to hear her answer. "No," she said. "I chose you, but the Order assigned Meena to me. They wanted nothing more than for you to be washed out of the Order. And all because they were scared of you and what you might become. But now…now you have forced them to see you for what you are." "And what am I?" I asked. "The Chosen One," she answered. She sounded almost sad as she said it, and for a moment, her bright yellow eyes lost their sun-like luster. I didn't quite know what to make of that.


End file.
